Masonic Lodge honours longtime member

JOHN FENNELL

The Bradford Masonic Lodge honoured one of its longest standing members at a ceremony Dec. 10.
John Fennell, 86, marked his 60th year as a member of the brotherhood.
The majority of his life has been spent, not only with the members of Simcoe Lodge No. 79, but also as a leader and representative of Bradford West Gwillimbury.
Mr. Fennell, who resides on the same piece of land he grew up on, is proud to be part of freemasonry and the beliefs that go along with it.
“The lodge has the basic principles to make good men better,” he said.
“Being able to meet brethren and fraternize is a great experience. They have a beautiful ritual here that points out duties as a man to mankind. It really increases the sociability among one another and it has made me a better person.”
But Mr. Fennell’s contributions extend beyond being a general member.
In 1965, he became the Master of the Bradford Lodge, a noteworthy accomplishment within the order.
His importance and involvement with the lodge increased, but Mr. Fennell maintained humility throughout his term.
Fennell also found time to engage in other leadership roles such as a term as reeve for Bradford West Gwillimbury from 1974 to 1981.
In the midst of it all, Mr. Fennell was also able to serve as chairperson of the Georgian College board from 1976 to 1977.
In 1981, he was appointed as the Warden for Simcoe County and is now a member of the Ex-Warden’s Association.
He even squeezed in time to write a book, God Speed the Plow, which sold about 4,000 copies.
But while taking on some of the most important roles within the community, Mr. Fennell put time aside to indulge in activities about which he is truly passionate.
For 12 years, he served as general manager of the International Plowing Match, a farm machinery show held across the province.
“The first ever plowing match was held in 1913, where Sunnybrook Hospital now stands. It’s something I really loved to do, even if it was a little bit political sometimes,” he said.
With a strong influence of farm work imprinted on him while growing up, Mr. Fennell eventually developed a love for showing sheep at the Royal Winter Fair.
“Farming was such a big part of the daily life and my family took pride in what we did with our land. I’ve been showing sheep for about 50 years, more or less.”
He is one of the longest-running individuals to show sheep at the Fair and has maintained his top spot among other competitors.
Although he has accomplished so much, Mr. Fennell did grow up with a strong role model to guide him as a child.
Fennell’s Corner, just north of Hwy. 89, was named after his great grandfather, Joseph. He also was a Bradford reeve, eventually receiving the naming of land in honour of his services.
“I’ve lived a very good life and had many highlights of my career. I’ve always been fairly modest, but I suppose I could say I have done some pretty important things.”